My week ahead, 2 - 7 November 2015

Monday 2 November, 4pm – Culture Portfolio meeting

6pm – North East Ipswich Parks meeting

7pm - Labour Executive meeting

Friday 6 November, 7pm – ‘Beryl’  at the New Wolsey

Saturday 7 November, 10am – Labour campaigning in South West Ipswich

Over the last few weeks we have been speaking to our hundreds of new members, to ask them why they joined. We also wanted to know what they wish us to campaign on as a local Labour Party.

I have spoken to over 50 of those new members and will speak to a number more at our Labour Fair this morning – it is obvious these new members will bring a much needed boost to the party but what was also noticeable that most of their concerns were the same and also concerns that current Labour members and councillors already held.

It might surprise the Tories and Mr Gummer, no one mentioned London in ‘60’ for our trains, or even turning the town centre round. Their main concerns were;

1.         The NHS – They fear even more privatisation

2.         Refugee crisis , most were embarrassed by the poor and weak response to the crisis                               shown by Cameron and the Tory Government

3.         Education – Not only the forced academisation by the Tories but the complete dismantling of the further education provision in the UK.

The further education question is one that the Labour Party should have raised

earlier, the members I spoke to were not on about universities but about adult learning – the Suffolk New College used to run a number of evening courses as did other educational establishments- from interests subjects such as languages, art, local history to a course that may help you find a new job such as improving your computer skills.

As I was about to leave the army I undertook a number of computer courses at a low charge at a local education centre in Nottingham, try now to find such a facility.

It is now wonder that Ben Gummer and the local Tories want to concentrate on trains and shops – I also this week have been in conversation with a number of Rushmere residents, many of whom are members of Neighbourhood Watch Schemes. All of them are very concerned about the cuts to the local police force. Our Tory Crime and Commissioner has been asked directly about police involvement with our Area Committees and elected representatives, at first we got no response but after asking again we were told it was up to the Chief Constable not the PCC- ducking the question?

The PCC, Mr Passmore is up for election in May, I hope residents question him about proposed cuts, his fellow Tory PCC in Essex has stated that local ‘bobbies’ on the beat is a luxury that now can no longer be afforded!

Did not read that in any Tory leaflet at the General Election – remember when the Tories once described themselves as the party of ‘Law and Order’?

Then again George Osborne has now re-branded them as the ‘Workers Party’ maybe better just to keep to a simpler description that we can all agree with – The Tory Party – the ‘Selfish Party’.